A Demon's Fate
by Marvel-Tolkien Fangirl
Summary: Surtur's life, captivity and eventual escape, from his p.o.v. Movie-verse. A spin-off to my story 'Secrets'. Rated for description of torture. Now complete.
1. The lord of Muspelheim

**A Demon's Fate**

_Disclaimer: Thor belongs to Marvel. The story title belongs to Within Temptation._

**Chapter One**

I have been trapped in this weakened state for an unfathomable count of years. I, who was once the most feared being in the Nine Realms! I was the ruler of Muspelheim, and the oldest and most powerful of the fire giants born there. Muspelheim was a wonderful place, and I yearn to return there. A realm covered in volcanoes, which erupted frequently, and geysers of fire which shot up from the ground! The temperature was always searing, and the sky was always filled with ash from eruptions, and smoke from fires. As a result, no plants or trees ever grew there, and my people carved their homes into the volcanoes, as no building would long survive in such an unpredictable environment. The other inhabitants of the Nine Realms called my realm uninhabitable. I called it 'challenging', for my race were made for such an environment. I was content to rule there, for none of the other Fire Giants dared to challenge me in combat.

I did not lack for amusement either, for despite the fact that the other dwellers of the nine realms often quarrelled with each other, in affairs they laughingly refer to as 'wars', occasionally some of the youngest or bravest of their 'warriors' would venture to Muspelheim. This seemed to be a test of their courage, to see if they dared to face one of the 'demons' in battle. Ha! I simply referred to such young ones as foolish, as they were always caught. I would have them brought before me, and watch their 'courage' disappear, as they realised the power they were truly challenging. They would often beg for their lives, and sometimes I even spared them. Of course, that is not to say I did not punish them for trespassing in my domain. The luckiest of these children were permitted to depart, to struggle to reach their homes. They would never forget their adventure, though, as I left enough reminders to ensure they never came here again. Ahh... how I miss the delectable scent of charred flesh. Of course, some of these trespassers remained defiant, and they had to be dealt with accordingly. My people enjoyed a rare treat when this happened. They so enjoyed feasting on young flesh. I do not require nourishment to survive, so I drew my pleasure from watching them feast. (I suppose most of my subjects were fairly bestial in comparison to me, but I did not mind. It made them easier to control) I was not utterly heartless however. When all that remained was a pile of charcoal-coloured bones, I would gather them up, take wing from my realm, and return the remains to the person's native realm, (most of my 'visitors' came from Asgard, Vanaheim or Alfheim) I did this so that the person's family would know what had become of their kin. Why keep them worrying over their fate longer than necessary? It was always enjoyable to watch the little people weeping and wailing and cursing my name. Had they honestly expected their son or brother to return alive after seeking audience with me? Fools! I was the King of Muspelheim, and I would never be defeated.

As I was contemplating what I would do with my next victim, it suddenly occured to me that, although I was a ruler, I had no real symbol of office. I did not wish for something as foolish and vain as a crown, of course, but a king surely deserves a weapon to show his greatness? I had no weapons, I was capable of besting most enemies barehanded, but the rulers of the other realms had weapons imbued with magic. Odin of Asgard had a spear that channelled his own power, and Frey of Vanaheim was in posession of a sword that was apparently capable of fighting of its own accord. That could become a problem if I ever had to face them in combat. It seemed unlikely at the moment, but the lesser races had begun to fear me, and were petitioning their leaders to rid the world of my 'menace'. Yet what could I do? I had no means of forging a weapon here in Muspelheim, and I also lacked the skill to do so. So I decided to pay a visit to Nidavellir, and make a request of the dwarves. They were renowned as the finest smiths in the nine realms, so they should be able to forge a sword worthy to be wielded by the lord of Muspelheim. With that thought in mind, I departed my kingdom, and travelled to Nidavellir. The only dwarf I knew of by name was Iwaldi, so I would see if he was willing to do this small task for me. And if he was reluctant to do my bidding...well, I had some _very_ effective methods that could be used to persuade him. If he resisted...he would become an example to the other dwarves, and hopefully that would motivate them to fulfill my request.

_To be continued!_


	2. Nidavellir

**Chapter Two**

_Disclaimer: Thor belongs to Marvel. The story title belongs to Within Temptation._

I had arrived in Nidavellir some time ago. As I had flown close enough to the dwarves' realm to be seen, there was a great deal of commotion as they all ran to hide in their underground forges. This was becoming a common reaction when any of the lesser races caught sight of me. I smiled at the thought. It meant that my reputation was growing. I wanted them to fear me, as I _would_ happily lay waste to all the realms if given a reason to. I always found great joy in destruction... Bringing myself out of my thoughts, I realised that there were no dwarves in sight. This obviously did not help me achieve my goal. I raised my arm, gathering fire in the palm of my hand, and without warning, threw it towards one of the dwarven dwellings. There were screams from within as the structure immediately combusted, and two dwarves came stumbling out, badly burned and choking, as their home collapsed. I landed before them, laughing to myself as they immediately fell to their knees and hid their faces, too terrified to even meet my gaze.

"Where is the dwarf Iwaldi?" I demanded. "I have business to conduct with him." The dwarves before did not respond. I began to feel impatient. Did these misshapen creatures have the audacity to believe they could ignore me?! Well, I mused, time to put a stop to that belief. I seized one of the dwarves, lifting him until he was forced to look me in the eyes. I raised the temperature of my hand, and the dwarf began to cry out in pain. I smirked- he didn't enjoy burns?

"I will ask you again," I began. "Where is Iwaldi?" The idiotic creature was making plenty of _noise_, whimpering and squealing in pain, but he did not answer my question. I had had enough. I gripped the dwarf more tightly, and slowly, summoned fire into my clenched hand. The creature began squalling even louder as he began to burn. I watched eagerly as his flesh blackened, and began to peel away from his bones. He fell silent after a few moments, but I continued my punishment. His internal organs burned to ash, and then his bones blackened under the scorching flame. I could see that they were becoming brittle, so I slowly clenched my hand more tightly, crushing the bones to powder. I let the bone-dust rain over the head of the other dwarf, who was watching now, ashen-faced with horror. I then knelt, so I was somewhat nearer to him. He was wailing something about his brother- I presumed that to be the one I had just punished- but he fell silent and scrambled backwards when he realised how close I was. I held up my hand, to indicate that I wished him to stay still and listen. Unsurprisingly, he froze completely. I was not even sure that he was breathing! I had intended to seek Iwaldi myself, but I decided to send this one as a messenger. Hopefully he would be more obedient than his sibling.

"Go to the forge of Iwaldi, and tell him Surtur has a proposition for him. And be sure to bring him back with you!" I ordered. The young dwarf did not move at first, he seemed unable to tear his eyes from what little remained of his brother. "NOW!" I shouted. "Unless you wish to join your useless brother in Hel. And if you fail in this simple task, be assured, you will suffer worse, and for far longer than he did." At that, the dwarf finally ran in the direction of the forges. I really hoped that Iwaldi did not disappoint me. The weapon he forged would have to be truly remarkable, to make up for the difficulties I was having while obtaining it.

Eventually, my messenger returned, accompanied by an aged, silver haired dwarf. I realised this was Iwaldi. I had no idea dwarves aged so quickly! Surely it had not been that long since I had encountered him as a youth? But then, time is hard to measure in Muspelheim... "Iwaldi." I greeted him tersely. "Your people seemed strangely reluctant to deliver my request to you."

"And what is it you desire, Surtur?" he asked somewhat shakily. "What could one so powerful as you wish of a humble dwarf?" I explained my desire for a weapon to rival those owned by the rulers of Asgard and Vanaheim, and my inability to create such a thing without the aid of the finest craftsman in the nine realms. Flattering the naive fool appeared to work, and he agreed to forge a sword that could channel my power "for an appropriate price, of course, my Lord?" I thought about this for a few minutes. I knew Iwaldi had family now...

"Will your sons receive part of this price, Iwaldi?" I asked smoothly. He nodded. "Partly, m'lord, for my eldest son will have to aid me in the forge."

"May I meet your sons?, for I wish to determine what sort of price is needed to placate all of you." Iwaldi agreed and summoned his sons. He suspected nothing. Good. When they appeared, it was obvious which one was the eldest. That made things easier. I examined them both for a few moments, pretending to consider a fair price for the dwarves' help. Then I turned to face Iwaldi, and in the same moment, I seized hold of his younger son.

"The deal is this," I began. "You and your older son will forge the sword and your younger son will enjoy my hospitality in Muspelheim for two weeks. When that time is elapsed, I will return here for my prize. If it is satisfactory, your son will be returned to you. If not... he will pay the price for your failure!" I was sure that this would persuade Iwaldi to obey my commands. He had actually believed I would _pay_ for something he made? Could he be that foolish? At any rate, if he valued his son's life, he would forge the sword, as he had promised. I took a firmer grip on the dwarf boy, and flew away from Nidavellir, back to Muspelheim. He was screaming in terror, and I laughed, enjoying the sound. He would be such an entertaining guest! I had promised to return the boy to his father... but I had made no guarantees as to what condition he would be in when I returned him!


	3. Captive

**Chapter 3**

_Disclaimer: Thor belongs to Marvel. The story title belongs to Within Temptation._

**AN: Warning. Graphic torture in this chapter**

I was right in my assumption about the boy- he was a _very _amusing guest. His terror as I brought him to my realm had been pleasing, and it magnified tenfold as he saw the magnificent gloom of my kingdom, and the might and number of my subjects. I had him shackled by the ankle to my throne upon our arrival, to ensure that I would not have to waste my energy trying to lure him out of any hiding places he might have found. I also provided him with some roasted meat- I did not want him to starve, and he did not need to be told just what manner of creature he was eating (in fact, it was what little remained of a Light Elf that had trespassed here a few months ago) And the young dwarf was actually grateful that I'd fed him! Water was harder to come by here, but there was a tiny stream that ran behind my rock-carven throne. I made no guarantees about the cleanliness of the water, as the stream was often tainted by the blood of my victims, but it seemed to sate the boy's thirst enough. I had had a small problem when I first arrived with my 'guest', because my subjects were used to me bringing captives back with me, but said captives were usually meat for them, and I was hard-pressed to explain that the boy could not be eaten. This conversation was obviously carried out in our native language, so the dwarf understood none of it, and only became more panicked as the boldest of my subjects tried to approach him. This young demon learnt the error of his ways quickly, as his head was ripped from his shoulders, and the rest of my people devoured what remained. I do not allow others to defy me and live.

I assumed that the display of what I would do to one of my own subjects would be enough to dissuade the Dwarf from any escape attempts, but I was wrong. That very same night, I heard the distinctive 'crack' of a snapping bone, and I have _caused _that sound enough times to recognise it. I glanced down, to see the boy attempting to sneak away behind my throne, hampered somewhat by the fact that the ankle which had tethered him appeared to be broken. I realised that was how he had escaped his bonds, because a broken bone can be manoveured in ways that a working joint cannot. How he planned to get anywhere while limping with a piece of jagged white bone piercing through his skin, and blood pouring from the wound and congealing on the ground, is beyond me. Surely he knew he would be caught? At any rate, the smell of blood had drawn the attention of one of my guards. He had not yet come closer, perhaps assuming that I was torturing the boy. I spoke in our tongue once again, telling him to fetch the Dwarf and bring him to kneel before me. Better that he does not understand what is being ordered for him, as suspense increases fear. With that in mind, I simply stared at him for some time as he lay on the ground at my feet, whimpering and shivering. Then I reached for my favoured torture device, an iron whip with three flails, covered irregularly with barbed pieces of metal. I concentrated on it, so it grew hotter in my hands, until it was white-hot. I rose and stood over the cowering Dwarf boy, and I finally spoke.

"I have not been cruel to you since I brought you here, boy." I raised the whip. "I have provided you with food." The whip fell: the boy screamed. "I allowed you water." Another lash, another scream. "I ordered my subjects not to bother you." The whip rose and fell again, there was blood staining it now. "And you repay my hospitality by attempting to _run away?!" _I was angry now, as the boy was attempting to drag himself out of my reach. His back had almost been utterly flayed of skin, and blood stained the ground all around him. I gave him a few more blows with the whip, to complete his discipline, and then I dragged him back to my throne and re-shackled him. He was still breathing steadily, if somewhat fast, so I assumed his wounds were not fatal.

After that night's escapade, I had to have one of my guards watch him at all times, which meant _I_ had to be alert at all times, to ensure the guard did not 'forget' my orders, and attempt to turn my hostage into a meal. I silently cursed Iwaldi for begetting such a troublesome son. I could only hope that the sword I had requested would be worth this trouble. The boy was refusing to eat now! He had to be forcibly held and have his mouth dragged open to ingest food. Thankfully, he needed no encouragement to chew. I imagined this to be because he did not wish to choke. I had not needed to resort to the whip again, which in a way was a shame- the boy had some beautiful interconnecting raised scars on his back now. They made quite an intricate pattern. I would have liked to add more. However, the two weeks had passed. I grabbed the boy roughly, and took to the air, without wasting the effort of unfastening the shackle. It snapped within seconds anyway. I doubt it did the broken ankle any good, but the boy had done that to himself. I would not take responsibility for it.

We arrived back in Nidavellir to find Iwaldi and his elder son already waiting. They both appeared exhausted and worried. Their faces were pale and strained. I landed before them, but did not release the boy. I would not do so until I had what I wanted. Iwaldi choked back words at the sight of his youngest son, caught in my grasp, like a feather caught in an eagle's claw, but he produced a sword. It was unsheathed, and looked magnificent, save for one detail.

"What is the meaning of this, Iwaldi?!" I demanded. "The sword you have made is fit only for the hands of a being of your stature!" Indeed, the sword was obviously far too small for my use. I tightened my grip on the boy. I was not satisfied, so there would be no exchange. Iwaldi began to speak quickly, though he was obviously afraid.

"My lord, this sword is named Elderstahl. It has been specially fashioned to alter its size, depending on who wields it. Once you hold it, it will adjust its size to suit your stature. It has also been spelled to withstand and channel the power of enormous heat and flame!" I considered this silently, then set the young dwarf on the ground. I stretched out my hand for the sword. I had just thought of a very good way to test Iwaldi's claims. He handed me Elderstahl, then addressed his eldest son. "Take your brother to the healers. Appeal to Asgard for one of their healing stones if necessary!" That was wise, I mused. The boy did not need to die, and the power of Asgardian healing stones was legendary.

Iwaldi and I were left alone. I was still examining Elderstahl. It had grown to match my size, as Iwaldi had said it would. Time to test his other claim. I summoned the strongest fire I was capable of, and willed it into the sword, which began to glow. Without giving any warning, I aimed it at Iwaldi. He did not even have time to cry out. When the smoke cleared, there were not even any ashes to be found. I laughed. It was worthy of a ballad! Iwaldi's death after producing his greatest work. His sons would live to continue his legacy, but there would never be a sword like this again. I returned home. This sword could make all the difference. For the first time, I began to turn my thoughts to conquering other realms. I imagined how glorious it would be if I had all the Nine Realms under my dominion. The thought made me smile.

_To be continued!_


	4. Malekith

**Chapter Four**

_Disclaimer: Thor belongs to Marvel. The story title belongs to Within Temptation._

Many months had passed since I had claimed my sword Elderstahl, and I began to tire of only ruling Muspelheim. I yearned to extend my rule over the other realms, yet I could not act upon that desire. For if I were to attempt to seize another realm without any sort of reason for doing so, like as not the other realms would band together and make it far more difficult for me to continue my campaign. This was a worrying problem, yet I could not see a way to avoid it at the moment. As a whim to pass the time, and to possibly aid my plans, I took to finding out how the political affairs of the other realms stood. I knew that there had been a war betwen the Aesir and the Vanir some time ago, but that appeared to have been resolved. The Light Elves never truly involved themselves in others' problems, but their realm was far from Muspelheim, so it would be difficult to reach without someone becoming aware of my movements.

Then an interesting rumour reached me: the Jotuns, led by King Ymir, had declared war upon the Dark Elves of Svartalfheim. This could prove interesting. I knew the Jotuns far outnumbered the Dark Elves, but they had very little magic, whereas the Dark Elves did. I resolved to keep an eye on the situation, as they might be a way to turn it to my advantage. The war continued for some years, and I heard that the Jotuns were besting the Elves. I was not truly surprised: in a battle, superior numbers are the greatest aid of the lesser beings, though I required none but myself to win a fight. Eventually, an envoy of the Dark Elves was sent to appeal to Odin, for his people's aid in the war, as the numbers of Dark Elves were dwindling, and they feared extinction. The Jotuns outnumbered them at least ten to one now. Odin refused aid. I assumed this to be because he had not been ruler for that long. He probably did not wish to lead his people into war while he was still uneasy in his rule.

I assumed all the Dark Elves returned to battle, after their failed mission. I was wrong. I began hearing rumours from my lieutenants about another trespasser in Muspelheim. This had not happened for a few years, so I was mildly surprised to find another young fool attempting to test his mettle here. I thought they had all learned their lesson, considering all the punishments I had meted out in the past. I ordered this being to be brought before me. My people deserved another meal. My servants departed to search Muspelheim for the uninvited visitor, and I was left alone. Or so I thought. The moment my last guard was out of sight, a shadow-like form seemingly moved of it's own accord, streaming and twisting through the air, to land at my feet. The shadow solidified, revealing a Dark Elf, kneeling before me. So... this was the trespasser.

I stood, and looked down at the elf. No-one had ever had the audacity to come into my realm and seek me directly. I was torn between ripping him apart for his brazen behaviour, or laughing at him for his stupidity.

"You dare to enter my presence uninvited, Elf?" I demanded. I still wasn't sure what to do with him, but he needed to understand that I would not tolerate such behaviour. He still knelt, with his head bowed, like a supplicant to court, but he did not respond. I willed a ring of fire to surround him. "STAND!" I shouted. As he did so, the circle of flame expanded, forming a cage-like structure around him. He had no room to move- he could not escape now. "I will only ask you once more, Elf." I moved so I stood directly in front of him "why have you come here?"

He raised his head slowly. "I came, your Majesty," he began "to beg you to aid my people in the war."

I was speechless. He came to ask _me _for aid? Did this elf have any idea who I was? Why in Hel's name did he think I would even _care _about the Dark Elves' plight?

He spoke again- without permission! "My Lord Surtur." he stated. "You are a mighty and powerful being, yet you have only one realm under your sway." I decided to listen, as this sounded like it could lead somewhere interesting. I sat back upon my throne and gestured for him to continue. "If you will lend your aid to the Dark Elves, and help us win this war, then I have been assured that my people will pledge loyalty to you."

"And do you speak for your entire race, Elf?" This sounded promising, but I was not going to waste my time on a battle unless I was sure I would gain something from it. He smiled.

"I do, my Lord. For I am Malekith, Ruler of the Dark Elves, and I give you my word, I will swear fealty to you when the war is won, and my people will follow." I nodded. This deal was worth making, and defeating the Jotuns would not be difficult.

"Agreed." I stated. "Return to your people, and tell them to begin a retreat from Jotunheim. I am sure you do not wish them to be between me and the Jotuns when I join the battle." Malekith nodded fervently.

"Thank you, my Lord. I will never truly be able to repay-"

"You can repay me by obeying me!" I snapped. "Go. Remove your people from Jotunheim. If any of them remain there when I arrive, I will not be held responsible for their fates." Malekith paled at that, bowed, and departed in a swirl of inky smoke. I prepared to depart, smirking to myself all the while. Malekith had no idea that I was becoming involved for my own reasons. I had no interest in sparing him or his race. But now that he had involved me in this war, I could act without consequence, as I was aiding a fellow ruler. Ha! My real interest in this was to conquer Jotunheim, wiping out the Jotuns if necessary.

I belted Elderstahl around my waist. It would be amusing to see what effect a sword of fire would have on Jotunheim, as the world was practically forged from ice. And when I had dealt with the Jotuns, my next target would be Svartalfheim. Malekith was a fool. I did not want his people's loyalty. They would be the second race to fall to me. I made one last arrangement before my departure, which would ensure my return here. I finished chanting the spell and, sensing that it had worked, I took off and flew rapidly towards Jotunheim. It would not do to delay on my bargain with Malekith...

_To be continued!_


	5. Ymir's Demise

**Chapter Five**

_Disclaimer: Thor belongs to Marvel. The story title belongs to Within Temptation._

**Warning: This chapter contains violence, graphic description of injuries, and character death.**

I had to travel past several other realms to reach Jotunheim, and I knew that I would be seen. It did not matter, I decided. I was acting to honour a bargain, and none of the rulers of the lesser races could dispute my right to do so, even though that was naught but a front to cover my true intent. I arrived in Jotunheim to find Ymir's army preparing to depart, presumably to pursue the Dark Elves to Svartalfheim. Malekith had acted quickly and withdrawn his people as I had commanded. It was a shame, I mused. He must truly wish for his race to survive. Well, I would keep the bargain he and I had made. I would end their war with the Jotuns. I had made no assurances concerning the fate of the Dark Elves following that event. They would make a long-lasting feast for my people. I would not need to bring them a meal for some years after that. The Dark Elves, although less in number than they had once been, were numerous enough to provide my kind with one elf each. The extinction of their species was necessary. My people required sustenance as much as any other race.

The Jotuns had caught sight of me now. Many of them fled in fear. I was used to that. Ymir looked up, fear in his eyes. Yet he stood firm. I landed before what was left of the Jotun army, and unsheathed Elderstahl. Without speaking a word, I channeled a portion of my power through my blessed sword, and the few fortunate Jotuns who were in the line of fire were granted an immediate and painless death. Not even ashes remained. The power I had unleashed continued in its trajectory, making contact with several glaciers, which melted instantaneously, causing a sudden and rapid flood, which crashed over the landscape and swept several more Jotuns away. The entire army seemed to be on the verge of running now. I hoped they wouldn't, as it would mean more effort on my part, tracking them down to finish them. Their deaths would be quicker if they remained.

Ymir appeared to be considering what to do next. He plainly had no idea why I was there. I decided to spare him the trouble of trying to work it out.

"The Dark Elves came to me for aid." I began, deciding to tell Ymir the story Malekith believed. "They knew they could not win this war unaided, so they approached me. I recieved their fealty, and in return, I agreed to rid them of their aggressors!" I moved closer to Ymir and lowered my voice, so he alone could hear me. "And when I have wiped your race of maggots from existence, the pathetic Elves will follow, and both Jotunheim and Svartalfheim will be mine!" I chuckled at the amusement of this thought. Ymir now appeared frightened out of his wits. Good. That would make my task easier. He could not command his army well, if he was not thinking clearly. He practically ran back to join the rest of his people, and addressed his son Laufey in what he no doubt believed was a quiet tone- I could hear every word.

"Take our people and get as far away as you can" he hissed. "Contact the other realms for aid. We cannot overcome this demon alone." Well, he was right about that, at least.

"Father!" Laufey protested. "I will not abandon you!"

"You MUST!" Ymir retorted. "I will keep Surtur's attention on me, you lead our people away from here, and summon help!" Ymir spared a glance at me. I began to move towards him, as I was tiring of listening to their debate. Ymir drew his sword. I was stunned. He actually meant to face me alone! Apparently, not only the young are foolish. He had to know he stood no chance. Laufey finally obeyed his father's command, and led the Jotuns in retreat. I sighed. Why did they have to make this so difficult? I let them depart, however. Surely no-one would come to their defence.

Ymir raised his sword and rushed at me. I assumed this was his 'distraction'. I let him strike me a few times, although his blows had no effect. I felt nothing, and he could not come too close to me, the temperature from Elderstahl alone caused him to falter, and that was only a fraction of my power. After a few moments, I found I was tiring of this. I lowered Elderstahl's temperature somewhat, and struck Ymir across the chest. As I had intended, the blow did not kill him. He was sent flying back several metres, and had a steaming, gaping hole across his midsection. I had decided to kill him slowly, so he would think his people had escaped. That would make it more satisfying when I caught up with them. I would toy with Ymir first though.

He staggered back to his feet. Blood seeped from his wound, yet he raised his blade and attempted to strike me again, albeit with less force than before. It made no difference. He had not injured me before, and he had no hope of doing so now. I raised my sword again, this time severing Ymir's left arm from his body and rending a great gash on his left side, exposing his ribs. He howled in agony and fell to his knees. I stepped forward, and began to crush him under my foot. His cold flesh rapidly began to burn, and his bones were snapping like twigs as I applied more pressure. His agonized screams pierced the icy air, and I exalted in the sound. He knew his death was nigh. I stood back to admire my handiwork.

Ymir lay on his back, barely conscious. His skin, once deep blue, was now dark purple in some areas, charcoal black and cracked in others. His armour had long since melted. Blood congealed on the ground where he lay. The bones that had broken were obvious, as his flesh had burned away in those areas, and the splintered bones protruded. His breathing was laboured. I was contemplating how to finish him, when he- somehow- managed to move, and I felt a slight stinging pain in the sole of my foot. He had managed to take up his sword again, and he had actually _injured _me! Now I was angry. I grabbed Ymir, sheathed Elderstahl with the other hand, and raised the giant till he was face to face with me.

"When I have slain you," I stated "I will pursue your precious son and your army, and deal with every single one of them as I have dealt with you. The remainder of your people will be brought to Muspelheim to entertain me until I destroy the Dark Elves. Your sacrifice has done _nothing _to save your people! Think about that in Hel." I clenched my free hand around Ymir's throat, and tightened it, slowly, watching him suffocate, until my grip was strong enough to snap his neck. I pulled my hands apart, slowly, and Ymir's body was torn asunder. Blood splattered all over me and the surrounding landscape. I licked my lips to clean them, enjoying the taste of the blood of the oldest Jotun. I dropped the remains on the ground for the wild beasts of Jotunheim to enjoy.

As I prepared to track down the other Jotuns, I heard a strange sound. It seemed to be emanating from the sky. I waited, curious. An incredible burst of rainbow coloured light followed the sound, and I realised I knew what this was. The Asgardian's Bifrost. Laufey must have been successful in gaining help after all. I never thought the Asgardians would help the Jotuns! The light cleared. Odin himself, accompanied by his brothers Vili and Ve, stood before me. They had brought no army, which I found mildly surprising. Surely they did not believe that three alone could best me? Then I realised Odin was carrying his enchanted spear, Gungnir. That weapon was forged by Iwaldi, as was my sword Elderstahl. That might actually make this battle interesting. And if I could destroy the king of Asgard, and the only two successors to the throne, then there would no-one to prevent me seizing control of Asgard! From there, I could obtain all the Nine Realms. The three sons of Bor faced me, unfinching, theirs heads held high. I strode towards them, drawing my sword and smiling. Pride goeth before the fall, did they not know that? Fools. They drew their weapons and readied themselves in a battle stance. I leapt forward...

_To be continued!_

_AN: This is the last update before Xmas, and I might not update until the New Year, not sure yet. Have a great Christmas!_


	6. Defeat, aftermath and foreshadowing

**Chapter Six**

_Disclaimer: Thor belongs to Marvel. The story title belongs to Within Temptation._

**Warning: Battle scenes, injuries and character death.**

I had been battling the sons of Bor for at least two days now, and they were all visibly fatigued. Odin alone of the trio was uninjured. Both of his brothers had suffered severe burns, and Vili, the bolder of the two, had several broken ribs and damage to his right lung. I knew he, at least, would have to withdraw from this fight soon. Odin had managed to avoid injury thus far only because he was somewhat swifter than Vili and Ve, and had managed to evade my sword. Cowardly, if you ask me. Jotunheim had suffered some severe damage during this melee, as well. Much of the ice that formed the landscape had melted, and the differing temperatures of the heat of Elderstahl and the glacial surroundings had given rise to massive billowing clouds of steam. This was making it harder for me to see my 'opponents'. I would have to end this presently.

At that moment, Vili, despite his injuries, attempted a head-on attack. He was alone, which made no sense. I had suffered some damage during the battle, but only when all three of them aimed an attack at the same area. What did Vili hope to accomplish? Odin appeared to have many of the same thoughts, as I could hear him calling out to Vili to stop. Unsurprisingly, Vili did not listen. He came within striking distance and raised his sword in preparation. If the blow made contact, he would rupture my stomach. Of course, I did not allow that. I cast fire from Elderstahl to intercept Vili's path, wondering if he would stand his ground, or leap out of the way, as his elder brother had been doing the entire time. As it turned out, I had made a slight miscalculation. The column of flame was too broad. Vili had no time to avoid it. Odin roared in rage and grief as his brother was reduced to a charred skeleton.

I only then realised that Ve was not in sight. Typically, the moment this occured to me, I heard a yell, originating from somewhere behind me, and felt a sharp stinging pain in the back of my left shoulder. I whirled, to see Ve crouched on the ground behind me. He must have leapt from the ice cliff to gain the height needed to strike me. I slowly pulled out the blade, which was still lodged in my shoulder. It looked tiny. And yet it had _drawn blood_ from me! I was astounded. And angry. I returned the sword to Ve, by flinging it so it impaled him in his stomach. I was sure that that injury would kill him, nonetheless, I kicked the fool into a crevice as he sank to his knees, then sent fire to the ice cliff towering over it, so that it would flood. His body would never be found. Smiling to myself at that thought, I turned to find my last opponent.

Odin was kneeling near Vili's remains. When my shadow fell over him, he rose to his feet, still defiant. I hefted Elderstahl, intending to finish him quickly. I was weary of this fight. He raised Gungnir as I sent a powerful burst of fire in his direction. Incredibly, the spear actually halted the flame in its path! Two bright spheres of energy were battling for dominance between us, bright red flames from Elderstahl, and cobalt-blue light from Gungnir. I walked closer to the centre, in the hopes of forcing Odin to step back. He stood his ground. The powers continued to merge and increase, until, with an ear-splitting BANG, they exploded! I was thrown an extrordinary distance backwards, and landed sprawled on the ground. I lay there, dazed. This was NOT how I had wished to discover how powerful Elderstahl was!

Realising that Odin was approaching, I began to rise. Blue energy struck me, assaulting every nerve in my body with a level of pain I had never experienced. I could not stand. I was able to see that this energy came from Gungnir, still held in Odin's unerring hand. I was in agony, but I would _never_ give him the satisfaction of hearing me cry out. He did not deserve it. Had Odin no honour, continuing to attack an adversary who had already fallen?

He began to speak. "You have proven yourself to be a murderer, Surtur," with Gungnir still torturing me, he approached. "You have taken the lives of countless innocents!" _Trespassers in my realm, _I thought, but I could not speak without revealing that I was in pain. Odin continued: "You are a merciless tyrant, a threat to all the Nine Realms, and too dangerous to be spared!" _So noble, Odin, _I thought, _and this of course has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that you just lost your brothers?._ I wanted to ask him this aloud, but Gungnir's energy had been increasing as Odin spoke, and I could no longer even see properly. Darkness was claiming my vision, and I finally felt fear gnawing my stomach. Odin was actually going to destroy my physical form, and I could not even resist. He was standing directly over me now. The last thing my eyes saw was another burst of azure-blue light, and then.

Nothing.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

I have no idea how long passed before I regained anything resembling consciousness, or began to remember who and what I was. Odin's last strike had disintergrated my body. However, the spell I had cast prior to the fight allowed my spirit to return to Muspelheim, and after centuries of waiting, I finally managed to gather enough energy to re-create a physical form. Once I had accomplished that, I was able to remove the spell that bound me in Muspelheim, and set off for Asgard. Revenge on the one who had destroyed me was the only thought that sustained me while I struggled to regain my power. I no longer had Elderstahl, but it mattered not. I would destroy the 'Allfather' with my bare hands for what he did to me! So now you know my story. I wish to know yours. You claim to be imprisoned beneath Asgard unjustly, but you have not even told me your name, despite the fact that we have been conversing for some time. What? I will require your aid to enter Asgard? Who are you? Oh, Laufeyson, you say? Perhaps you _can _be useful to me after all. Very well, how am I to find these hidden paths into Odin's realm?

**The End**

_AN: That's all folks! If it were up to me, the last scene here would be at the start of Thor, The Dark World._

_What did you think? Reviews welcome!_


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